I'm confused about the various file extensions I see in the Patterns Folder.

.ai
.psd
.pat

What is the .pat file?  I tried to browse to view them and I can't see them at all in the program.

I also can't see what the .ai files look like. All I see are the file icons when I browse for them.

The only pattern files I can see as images are the .psd ones.

I looked up the "use a preset pattern from the PostScript Patterns folder"  in the help area. However, I have no clue what the purpose of that extension is.  I tried the "mini tut" on what to do with them. I opened a file as directed and did the Edit / Define Pattern  thing but it wanted to save it with the .ai extension again. I didn't know if that was right, so I removed  the .ai  part and saved it, but have no clue where this "defined" pattern went,  LOL

Currently all of my patterns are .bmp format from Paint Shop Pro.  But I don't see any .bmp extensions for patterns for Photoshop.

When I'm making and saving patterns what extension do I need to convert or save the file as?

.ai is the Adobe Illustrator native file extension; .pat is the Photoshop pattern file extension as you found out.   As to the pattern question, when you save a pattern you will find it one of two places.  1. under the edit: fill tab.  Once you have selected the fill tab, a menu comes up, and you can scroll down to pattern, if you want to do flood fills.  2. Or the pattern stamp tool.  Then you can see and select the pattern you want. 

Ultimately I think you need to save your patterns as .pat files. Hope this helps...

Quote - . you need to save your patterns as .pat files. Hope this helps...

That isn't working.

I opened a .bmp file into Photoshop that I want to use as a background to something I'm working on. It's a seamless tile and I want to flood fill the background with it.

I don't know how to get that tile background into the image that I'm working on.  There is no "copy" when I go to "Edit".  And I don't just want to "copy / paste" because I want the image to fill the background in a tile pattern.

I tried saving it as a .pat file, but there is no such extension in the list when I'm saving.

I tried saving the file as a .psd file into the PostScriptImages folder where I see other .psd patterns.

When I double click on the new layer I created, I get the window open that allows me to add a pattern or texture or vary the opacity etc.

I checked "Pattern" and double clicked the line and I see the pattern I want to use.  But the pattern doesn't appear in the new layer I created.  Well, it shows up in the layers palette and in the history, but no pattern actually shows up in the image. The layer appears to be transparent as it was.

In PSP all I had to do was have the tile open in PSP,  go to the colour palette and pick "Pattern" and then browse to the image of the pattern that showed up in the window and then flood fill with the paint can.  I could pick from installed patterns, or I could work from ones that I created on the fly from my work area without having to have them in a particular folder.

1.  Basically what I want to know is how do I flood fill a background with an seamless tile image that I have open in Photoshop.

2.  And where do I save my own patterns, and how do I get them into my layer  because clearly whatever I'm doing isn't working.

Attached Link: Cookienose's Flood fill Pattern Tutorial

Hi Arcadia,

I'm sorry if I was confusing or steered you wrong.  I know that for myself, I learn alot better by seeing what it is I'm supposed to be doing.  So I made a quick and dirty .pdf tutorial on making patterns and flood filling them.  In the meanwhile, I would suggest you forget that .pat files and the PostScriptImages folder exist until you have the basics of Photoshop down.

Hope the tutorial gives you more of what you are looking for.

Oops. I meant Acadia not Arcadia.  Sorry bout that.

With the image (the one you want to use as a fill)  open in Photoshop go to Edit > Define Pattern and give the pattern a name. Click OK.  To use the pattern in another document, create your new layer then go to Edit > Fill. In the Fill window select Pattern from Contents Use: drop down and select your pattern from the Custom Pattern drop down. Click OK.

Thank you  Cookienose ** ** and  dreamer101 I'll try both this evening.

It's so frustrating to go from being able to do anything in Paint Shop Pro  to being able to do pretty much nothing in Photoshop.

open the bmp file - edit - define pattern. open the file you want to flood.   ' edit ' -  ' fill ' -  a window will pop up - scroll down the "use" scroll down menu, lick - ' pattern ' click the custom pattern button and click the tiny preview of which one you want.

to ensure this addition stays on you computer - while you have the prieview window open the arrow to the side.. ">"   and  click ' save patterns... '  hopefully it takes you to the right folder where the rest are kept. it won't save the individual fill pattern but the entire set of patterns.

i'm not too comfotable with turning .jpg to .pat just by renaming a file name in windows, in this cenario it won't work